What I perceive and what is truly taking place may not necessarily be in tandem with each other. My perceived reality, which is always true to me, may not exactly reflect what is happening. In fact, it is not an over-exaggeration to say that, most, if not all the time, realities are misperceived through the lens of our own perceptions. It is safe to say that our sensory perceptions are very limited when it comes to knowing exactly what is going on, or taking place. If that is so, how then do I know what is true and what is false?

Let’s start by assuming that what we have perceived at any one moment of time may be false. At least with such a mentality, we are open to discoveries, to new ideas, to new suggestions, and also new understanding, instead of making a limited conclusion based on what we already know. In terms of emotions, we will not be carried away by disagreements, by disapprovals or frustration in wanting it our way based on our perception. That is already a huge bonus for ourselves since we no longer need to be stressed out or angsted by another person’s doing. To see them wrong or to judge them is to put ourselves into our own self-inflicted suffering.

Coming closer to reality, it is true to say that we can never really know anything that is happening around us. We “know” by how our mind thinks about the event – which is just “thinking” – a process that involves past perceptions in relation to what is happening outside of us; thinking about an event versus the reality of that event are very different things altogether, if we care to reflect on this. Happenings/events are resultants that can arise out of uncountable causes. If we are not even there, how can we know exactly how and why an event happens, and even if we are there for it, we can never really know. Why? Because we are only using our senses to know. How then can we conclude, not to mention know?

It doesn’t matter whether it is someone admonishing us or a close one leaving us which makes us feel uncomfortable. Or even arising from something that we read in the news each day. Notice how easy our minds judge and conclude, as if we know for certain what is taking place. Imagine if we apply the golden rule of “I don’t really know why it is happening and I am not here to conclude anything; as such I am free to make a decision of how I have to experience it”. What will that open up in us? Unlimited possibilities of seeing a situation. Freedom from limiting perceptions. And potentially new experiences that we may never have had before. Why is that so? Simply because every decision made kills the option of choice – and choices give us an opportunity to look at happenings differently, be it people, event or situation.

When you are mindful of your mind, you begin to wake up to yourself, to who and what you really are.

In grace,Tuck Loonon behalf of Clove&Clive Team

P.S. Squint your eyes while looking at the banner image above, or look at it from a distance. You may see something else you did not see initially ….. a face, tree branches, or both?!